Ice vending machine



March 5, 1935.

R.-c'.: iwoLr -E, H VICE VENDING MACHINE 7 Filed Jan; 21, 1933 5Sheets-Sheet 1 in van for R/cbard C Wo/f March 5, 1935.

R. C. WOLFE ICE VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [iivn't or fife/lard C 14/0 /2 6 y7im.

I ital-nay March 5, 1935. R.- c. WOLFE ICE VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan.21, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I my 5 [n ven for R/c/iard C WO/I v W AttorneyMarch 5, 1935. R. c. WOLFE ICE VENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1953 5Sheets-Shet 4 Fly. 5'

lnventor' R/c/mrc/C. Wo/fe y 'Aiiorn ey March 1935- R. c. WOLFE ICEVENDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 21, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 In Van tor R/c/varoC Wo/f Attorney Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES ICE VENDING MACHINERichard C. Wolfe, Los

Angeles, Calif assignor to California Consumers Company, Los Angeles,Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 21,

7 7 Claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved storage andvending machine for ice which is entirely self-contained and which isoperated by the customer without requiring an attendant.

A further object is to provide an ice storage dispensing and vendingmachine which may be transported from one location to another withoutdisassembling. I

Another object is to provide an ice dispensing machine which willdeliver the ice in an easily handled and transported condition.

Another object is to provide an apparatus of this type which is coincontrolled and which is actuated by gravity and the purchaser of theice, requiring no outside source of power or attendance.

A further object is to provide an improved and simplified actuating andcontrol means for, apparatus of the type described, which will beeconomical to construct and simple and reliable in operation.

These and other objects will be more fully apparent from the descriptionwhich follows and from the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis specification and illustrate one application of a preferredembodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a single-unit installation, with the roofof the housing removed, showing the storage space and the generalarrangement of the ice dispensing and delivery mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 11-11 of the installation shownin Figure 1. The dotted lines represent the position of the dispensingmechanism when it is being actuated todeliver a block of ice. j

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the unit shown in Figure 1, showing thedelivery door, actuating pedal, and coin control equipment.

1933, Serial No. 652,913

Figure 4 is a detailed plan view of the actuating mechanism on anenlarged scale and. in its normal o-r unactuated position,-

Figure 5 is a detailed elevation of the actuating mechanism as shown onFigure 4, also on an 5 enlarged scale. I

Figure 6 is a detailed elevation of the actuating mechanism showninFigure 5 on an enlargedscale but in its actuated position, whereby theice.

dispensing and delivery mechanism has been 10' placed in operation.

Figure 7 is a detailed elevation of the coinbox mechanism together withthe alterations to the'same whereby coins are returned-when thedispensing machine is empty ofice. V

This machine may be divided into a number of components, viz; icehousing and storage chamber, ice dispensing and delivery mechanism,manually operated actuating mechanism, and coin box control equipment-The description which 20 follows takes up these subjects in the ordergiven, and concludes with their method of operation.

The enclosure 11 which houses this machine is preferably of a compositenature, the framing 12 being of wood and steel shapes and the outer 25covering 13 of galvanized and corrugated sheet steel. The inclined icechute 14 and the chamber 15 which houses the dispensing and delivery.mechanism, as well as guide 16, which serves to prevent the ice blocksfrom riding over one another, are lined with galvanized sheet steel 17.The chute 14 and chamber 15 are heavily in-, sulated with cork-board orsimilar material 18 as is customary in the construction of ice storagecompartments. Chute 14 drains into chamber 15,

which is fitted with atrapped drain pipe 19 to remove the accumulatedwater from ice meltage.

The ice chute 14, which also serves as the ice storage compartment, isinclined downwardly. at

an angle of approximately 15 from a loading door 20 at the rear of thehousing. 'Door 20 is of the usual insulated refrigeratortype, thedetails of which do not need to be 'describedhere. At one side of thechute 14, at both the upper and lower ends thereof, are verticalbrackets 21, in which are journalled' the cylindrical ends of a squaredor splined metal rod 22, on which is fitted a squared or keyed slider 23carrying the ice block retarder plate 24.

A handle 25 is keyed to the upper end of the square rod 22 and serves torotate the rod and slider 23 to move plate 24 into or out of contactwith the ice blocks being lowered down the chute.

.Slider 23 is fitted with a metal chain 26 which of shaft 29 is sorelated to the center passes through a keyhole shaped slot 27 in upperbracket 21.

The purpose of this retarder mechanism is to allow a group of four orfive ice blocks to be lowered at one time to the end of the chute andgently enough to prevent breakage of the blocks. It will be appreciatedthat the problem of ice block breakage is serious in a device of thisnature, as the customer wants his block of ice intact.

Other types of retarder means could equally well be used. For example, acanvas strip (not shown) could be unrolled or pushed all the way downthe chute 14, the ice blocks placed thereon, and then shoved down on therough canvas surface until the chute 14 were full, whereupon the blockscould be held in place and the canvas pulled out from under them onto awinch or roller (not shown) below the door 20.

The ice dispensing and delivery mechanism is mainly located in andadjacent the chamber 15 and consists of a pair of hinged members jointedby a pair of pivoted links. The upper ice dispensing member or tilter 28is journalled on a shaft 29 which is suitably supported from the frameof the chute 14. Tilter 23 is an L-shaped member the width of the chute,made of steel shapes and with its top and inside faces smoothly coveredwith galvanized sheet steel. The position of gravity of the tilter 28with a block of ice 30 thereon, that 28 tends to overturn and rotate ina clockwise direction under the action of gravity. It is nor mally heldfrom so doing by the links 31 and door 32, as will be explainedbelow.

Blocking discs 33 are mounted, one in each side of tilter 28, and areconcentric with shaft 29. The radius of these semi-cylindrical discs issuch that in their normal position, as shown by the solid lines ofFigure 2, the upper corners of the discs are a short distance toward theshaft 29 from the rear or up-chute edge of the ice block 30. As tilter28 rotates clockwiseto discharge its ice block, the discs rotate alsoand present their curved faces to the next block of ice in the chute 14,thereby preventing it riding down on top of the piece in the tilter andcausing it to dispense but one block at a time- When the tilter 28 nextresumes its normal position, as shown by the solid lines of Figure 2,the blocking discs are withdrawn below the level of the chute, allowingthe next block of ice in the chute to slide into the tilter under theaction of gravity and the remaining blocks in the chute.

Delivery door 32 is mounted in the front face of the housing 11 andchamber 15, and is hinged at its lower inside edge as shown at 34. Theconstruction of this door is that of the usual insulated refrigeratordoor, of which nothing further need be said here. Brackets 35 areattached to the inside of door 32 near itstop and are pivoted to links31, which in turn are pivoted to tilter 28. Thus, when door 32 isrotated inwardly or counterclockwise around hinge 34 by means of theactuating mechanism, to be described below, links 31 overturn and carrywith them the tilter 28, which is rotated in a clockwise direction, sothat the tilter 28, links 31 and door 32 assume the positions shown indotted lines on Figure 2. A stop member 36 (Figure 2) is mounted in thebottom of chamber 15 to receive the inside face of door 32 and preventovertravel of these parts,

The outer face of door 32 is fitted with a delivery chute or guide 37 ofgalvanized sheet steel, which chute extends downwardly'past the bottomor hinge edge of delivery door 32 as shown on Figure 2. A suitablycushioned or padded ice stop member 38 extends outwardly at right anglesand across the lower end of chute 37, to prevent the ice from falling tothe ground as it leaves the machine.

It will be noted from the dotted lines of Figure 2, which illustrate thedispensing tilter 28, links 31 and door 32, in their actuated position,that the proportions of these membersare so chosen that the inner faceof tilter 28 lies approximately in line with and slightly above thechute 37 on the outer face of delivery door 32, thus forming a smoothpassageway for the block of ice 30, carried by tilter 28 to passdownwardly, to come to rest on the padd'edstop 38. Inasmuch as chute 37extends below and also beyond hinge 34, the weight of the block of iceat this point will cause the lower end of chute 37, together with door32, ,to rotate clockwise about 34, thus closing delivery door 32 Links31, being pivoted to both door 32 and tilter 28 will cause the latter tobe returned to its original position, as shown by the solid lines, andin readiness to receive the next block of ice in thechute. That iceblock, it will be remembered, was held in place by the blocking discs 33while the dispensing and delivery mechanism was being actuated.

It will be noted on Figure 2 that the line A-A between hinge 34 and thepivot of brackets 35 lies beyond the line AB, which extends from hinge34 to the pivot of links 31 on tilter 28. This relation gives anovertravel which looks the three members in their normal or unactuatedposition and prevents the weight of ice block 30 on tilter 28 fromopening door 32. In other words, door 32 must first be rotated throughangle AAB before the weight of the ice and linkages will complete thedelivery operation.

' A shock absorber 39 may be connected as shown between the dooractuating mechanism and the frame of the machine, in order to preventtoo rapid action of the tilter, links and door as described above.Theshock absorber may be of any desired type, the one illustrated beinga conventional automotive hydraulic shock absorber.

The actuating mechanism which rotates the delivery door 32 and therebyallows the dispensing and delivery mechanism to function, is located atthe front of housing 11 and below chamber 15. A shaft 40 is journalledin bearings 41 and passes from the outer side-wall of the housing to apoint behind the chute 37 which, it will'be remembered, is attached atits upper end to the outer side of delivery door 32. An arm 42 is keyedto shaft 40, and is connected to the lower end of chute 37 by means of apivoted link 43, as shown on Figure 2. Shock absorber 39 is connectedbetween link 43 and frame 12, as shown The outer end of shaft 40 extendsthrough the side of the housing, as shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5, and isadapted to receive a counterweighted foot pedal 44. Pedal 44 is notrigidly fixed to shaft 40, but may be connected thereto by means of themechanism which will now bedescribed.

The connecting mechanism which is adapted to connect pedal 44 with thedelivery mechanism controlshaft 40 is, in turn, controlled by a coinbox, so that the dispensing and delivery mecha nism may not be actuatedunless a suitable coin has first been deposited. This is best shown byFigure 4, which shows a plan of this apparatus in its normal ordisconnected position, and Figure 6, which shows an elevation of theconnecting mechanism in its actuated position, after a block of ice hasbeen delivered and before the customer has removed his foot from thefoot pedal 44.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the pedal 44 is fixed to a sleeve 45which fits over shaft 46 and is free to turn thereon. At the inner endof sleeve 45 and inside the housing 11 is fixed a transverse bar or arm46, at one end of which is a bracket 47 provided with a pin 48supporting a spring dog 49. Spring dog 49 is made up from a block ofmetal 50 and a flat leaf spring 51, and is so balanced that it willnormally lie parallel to arm 46. The end of arm 46- is beveled as shownto allow the dog 49 to have a limited rotation counterclockwise aboutpin 48, but no clockwise rotation is possible, for a purpose which willbe explained below. Pedal 44 is fitted with a counterweight 52, whichserves to return it and arm 46 to the position shown in Figure 5 when--ever it is released. It is prevented from overtravel in this directionby the rightend of arm 46, which is adapted to strike a portion of theframe 12, as shown.

At the inner end of sleeve 45 on shaft 40 and fixed to the shaft by aset screw is a collar 58 carrying a lever return arm 54. The purpose ofthis arm will be explained below.

Adjacent collar 53, shaft 40 is squared or provided with fixed keys orsplines for a short distance. A sleeve 56 surrounds the shaft at thispoint and is free to slide longitudinally thereon, but is prevented fromturning by matching the splines 55. The outer face of sleeve 56 carriesa latch arm 57, one end of which is bent at right angles as at 58. Theperiphery of sleeve 56 is provided with a circumferential groove 59which is adapted to receive a roller or follower 60 for the purpose ofsliding the sleeve along shaft 40.

Roller 60 is pivoted on a horizontal lever 61 which in turn is pivotedat 62 on a bracket 68 on frame 12 (Figure 4). Lever 61 extends acrossshaft 40 as shown and the pivot of roller 60 is located at theintersection of the respective axes of the lever and shaft. The outerend of lever 61 is bent downwardly as at 64 for a purpose to beexplained below. 7

A segmental ratchet plate 65 is secured to the inner face of sleeve 56,on the opposite end 'of said sleeve from latch arm 5'7. It is fittedwith ratchet notches 66 along its periphery, which.

which is pivotally supported at 68 on bracket 63 i of frame 12 as shownin Figures 4 and 5. Dog 6'1 is free to be rotated counterclockwise by anupward motion of ratchet plate 65. It is prevented from rotatingcounterclockwise by a pin 69 in bracket 63, at such times as it is notin contact with ratchet plate 65.

An actuating shaft '70 extends downwardly from the coin box controlmechanism (Figures 5, 6 and '7) and is journalled in brackets 71 onframe 12. Below this bracket shaft is bent horizontally and thenvertically downward to form a crank 72, which contacts the inner face ofhorizontal lever 61. In operation, when a suitable coin has been placedin the coin box mechanism, to be explained below, shaft 70 may berotated clockwise by the operator (Figures 4 and 7), rotating crank 72into contact with lever 61, which isin turn rotated clockwise about itspivot 62. Roller 60 connects lever 61 with slidable sleeve 56 causingit, together with ratchet plate 65, and latch arm 57, to slide out-.

wardly along shaft 40 toward housing 11. This carries the horizontallybent arm 58 of latch arm 57 to a. point beneath the spring lea! 51 ofspring dog '49, which, it will be remembered, is rigidly the shaft 40,through the medium of sleeve 45,

arm- 46, spring dog 49, latch arm 57-58 and splined collar 56, so that acounterclockwise rotation of pedal 44 by the foot of the operator willbe transmitted to shaft 40. Thisrotation will be in turn communicated toarm 42, which will urge link 43 outwardly to cause chute 37 to open door32. As soon as door 32 has moved somewhat beyond angle AAB, which mayrequire about 20" of rotation of pedal 44, the unbalanced condition ofthe tilter 28-, ice block 30, links 31 and door 32, will cause thelatter to assume the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, therebydelivering ice block 30 to the stop member 38.

While this has happened the actuating mechanism will have assumed theposition shown in elevation in Figure 6, the shaft 40 having rotatedcounterclockwise through about thus bringing ratchet plate 65, which,meanwhile, has been pulled outwardly from contact with dog 67, also tothe position 90 counterclockwise from its position in Figure 5. Pedal 44will not rotate as far as shaft 40 due to the fact that a rotationthereby of about 20 will carry the actuating mechanism to a point wherethe rest of the motion will be caused by the overbalancing of themembers 28,

31 and 32. I

It has already been stated that the outer end 64 of horizontal lever 61was bent downwardly Vertical section 64 of this level is arranged tocontact the inner side of a horizontal arm 73 of 4 The lower end ofrotates shaft 74, together with its horizontal lower arm '76, clockwiseabout 60. Then when pedal 44 is depressed and shaft 40 is rotatedcounterclockwise, the lever return arm 54, previously mentioned, willstrike arm 76 (Fig. 6) retating that arm and shaft 74 counterclockwiseticularly after it has come to rest on stop member 38, the weight of theice at this point will cause the lower end of the chute to swingdownwardly, thus closing the door 32 and thereby returning the now'empty dispensing tilter 28 to its normal position through links 31. Thismotion of the lower end of chute 37 will move link 43 back to its normalposition, rotating arm 42 clockwise, together with shaft 40, sleeve5'7and ratchet plate 65, to the normal or unactuated position shown inFigure 5. Ratchet plate 65,'having been drawn outwardly toward the pedal44 during the actuating period, and thereby clearing dog 67 on itsdownwardmovement, will have means of the ratchet plate 65 and dog 67,and;

prevents any reopening of delivery door 32 once it has started to close,unless a coin is placed in the coin box and the cycle of operation justdescribed is repeated.

The purpose of the particular, construction of spring dog 49 on arm 46is as follows: The tilting feature will allow the dog 49 to get abovethe latch lever arm 58 in case the pedal 44 is in its depressedcondition at the time the coin control mechanism is operated to movelatch-arm 58 to'its actuated position. The release of the foot pedalwill carry the arm 46 upward and the pivoted dog will tilt to pass abovelatch lever arm 58, whereupon it ,will be in position to be carrieddownward by a subsequent depression of pedal 44. to actuate the door,

opening mechanism. The reason for the spring 51 is to prevent damage tothe apparatus in case of a break or jam in any of the cooperating parts.A

rigid connection at this point would allow the operator to exertconsiderable torque on'these various parts, while the spring limits thattorque to the valve which will deflect it until it bends to pass latchlever 58.

The coin box mechanism, which controls the op eration of actuating shaft'70 will next be described. The location of the coin box is illustratedgenerally in Figure 3, and the details of one possible arrangement withcertain desirable modifications are shown in Figure 7.

Referring to the latter drawing the coin box mechanism is generallyindicated at 7'7. This may be of any desired type, the one described andshown being made by the Rowe Vending Machine Company. Box 7'7 is adaptedto .be contained within housing 11 and is provided with a coin slot '78,a coin return chute '79 and a release or actuating knob 80. Inside thehousing is a coin receptacle 81, which, in this case, is a short lengthof pipe attached to housing 11 by bracket 82 and terminating at itslower end in an elbow 83,

which opens outwardly through housing 11 and is normally closed by aplug-type locking device 84..- In the example shown this locking deviceis an Cakes? automobile tire lock plug. This is provided with pipethreadson its periphery and may be removed only by means of the properkey. Any suitable modification of this arrangement could obviously bemade. y

In the coin box. illustrated, a recess 85 is pro-' vided, which housesthe coin slot 78 and the actuating knob 80. When the proper coin isinserted, in slot 78, knob 80 may be moved inits slot against itscustomary return spring, thereby moving ratcheting dog 86, at the backof the coin box housing, outwardly against the inclined spring arm 87,which is mounted at the top of the vertical actuating shaft '70, alreadydescribed. Arm 8'7 and shaft are rotated in a clockwise direction.putting into operation the actuating mechanismv shown in Figures 4, 5and 6, and already described in detail, and thereby permitting theactuation of the ice delivery mechanism.

The purpose of the inclined spring construction of arm 87 is to permitthe arm to spring up and slip over the ratcheting dog 86, should theoperator attempt to hold knob in its extreme advanced oractuatedposition while operating the pin 88, and the small coil springreturns it to the position shown when the knob 80 is released.

Thus when knob 80' is released to its normal position shown, dog 86 willtilt sufficiently to allow a it to slip past spring arm 87 to its normalposition shown, knob- 80 being returned by a strong coil spring (notshown) in the coin box mechanism '77.

As already stated, the coin mechanism is provided with a chute 79 toreceive slugs or improper coins, and also coins returned when themachine is empty of ice- Proper coins used to effect operation of themechanism fall into pipe 81, from whence they may be removed byunlocking member 84.

The automatic return of coins to the customer When the machine is emptyof ice may be accomplished as follows. The coin box mechanism 77 assupplied has a small balance plate 89 pivoted along its length upon ahorizontal pin (not shown) just inside the coin mechanism housing. Plate89 extends outside that housing as well as inside. A coin dropped intoslot 78 falls on the inwardly extending portion of plate 89 and if it isof the proper weight, the coin will push that portion of plate 89downwardly into its proper operating position, thus tilting theoutwardly extending portion of plate 89 upwardly about its pin. If thecoin is too light, it will roll off of plate 89 without tilting thelatter, and will pass down chute 79. It is obvious, therefore, that ifplate 89 is prevented from tilting when the machine has become empty ofice, all coins inserted thereafter will be returned to the operatorthrough chute 79.

One means for accomplishing this is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 7, andwill now be described. A light metal lever 90 is pivotedon pin 91attached to the outside of the coin box housing, as shown in Figure 7.The lever is balanced. to have its left'portion heavier than the right,so that it assumes the position'shown, with the right portion above andnormally out of contact with the outwardly extending portion of plate89. A light strong cord or wire 92 is attached to the left end of lever90 and is also connected by a lever and shaft to a pivoted arm 93, whichis mounted in chamber 15 and is normally held up in a substantiallyhorizontal position by the ice block 30 in dispensing tilter 28' (Figure2). Thus, after the last block of ice has been delivered, the arm 93will rotate about its shaft 94 to a vertically downward position,drawing cord 92 and the left side of lever 90 (Figure 7) upwardly,thereby causing the right side of the,

per part of chamber 15. and directly over the lower end of chute 14. Theouter end of shaft 94 hasa short lightlever 95 to which is attached cord92, and which gives the necessary leverarm to create a proper tension onthe. cord and balanced lever 90. t v x It is obvious that many changescould be made in the coin control and actuating mechanism, dependingupon the type of coin box used, which changes would be readily apparentto a skilled mechanic.

While-a single unit installation has beendescribed and illustrated itis, of course, obvious that two or more parallel installations, handlingthe same or diiferent sized ice blocks, could equally well be made. Inthe case of a double unit, the installations would be in duplicate andopposite hand, with the exception of the insulation between the twochutes l4, and the chute-loading ice block-retarding means, viz., shaft22,.slider 23, arm 24 and handle 25. These latter could be made to servefor the two parallel chutes, by arranging brackets 21 between the chutes14, with handle 25 and arm 24 adapted to rotate through 180 instead ofonly 90. The loading door could also be modified so as to serve bothchutes.

It is also possible to put a chute and dispensing and delivery mechanismas described inside an ice storage building of any size or capacityinstead of only a housing 11 as illustrated. The length of chute 14could be made as long as economically required, and the size of iceblocks dispensed made of any desired value, although experience hasshown that the twentyfive pound and fifty pound sizes are the mostpopular.

The operation of loading the ice chute will now be described, as all ofthe functioning of the various dispensing, delivery, and coin boxcontrol mechanisms have already been outlined.

The ice blocks 30 which are to be dispensed by this device are cut to auniform size, and are fitted over with waterproof (wax) paper sacks 96before they are placed in position on the chute. The purpose of thewaterproof sack on each block is two-fold; first, to prevent adjacentblocks from freezing together while in the chute, and second, to deliverthe block in an easily handled and convenient condition, so that it maybe transported, for example, in an automobile, for a considerabledistance without making a large and unsightly pool of water during theprocess.

The paper sack 96 is placed over the ice block with its open end down,so that as the ice block 30 is placed on the chute, the exposed face ofthe ice rests against bottom of the chute. This prevents tearing of thepaper, makes a smoother sliding surface and has yet another functionwhich will be described below.

Chain 26 is adjusted in keyhole slot 27 so that slider 23 with plate 24is a short distance down the chute. Lever 25 is turned in a manner tocause plate 24 to project outwardly over the chute proper, and a numberof ice blocks, with their paper caps 96, are slid down the chute againstthe plate 24. Chain 26 is then slipped out of its restraining notch andpaid out slowly, allowing slider 23 and plate'24, with their load of iceblocks, to slide to the bottom of chute l4. Lever 25 is then rotated toturn squared shaft 22 and slider 23 and thereby withdraw plate 24 frombelow the first ice block, which will slide downwardly into tilter 28,if that is empty. The remainder of the ice blocks are similarlydeposited againstthose already in place, care being taken not to breakthe blocks or to tear the paper sacks 96 when rotating the plate 24 outof contact therewith or when withdrawing slider 23 and plate 24back upshaft 22 for anotherload of ice.

When the dispensing and delivery mechanism is actuated, .the block ofice 30 in tilter 28 is turned through approximately 180 bythe time itlands upon stop member 38, so that the wax paper sack 96, which wasoriginally ontop of the block 30, is now on the bottom, and provides aconvenient and fairly dry handling surface for the'block. The sack 96,as pointed out above, also catches the water melted from the ice du ingits transport to the place .of use.

From the foregoing description and drawings itwill be seen that a quiteusefuland novel ice vending machine has been disclosed which is entirelyself-contained and automatic-in. its action and which presents numerousother advantages over the prior art, which improyements will be pointedout in -the following" claims. Although avspecific constructionembodyingthis invention has been described and illustrated, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited to that arrangement, andall such modifications and changes as come within the scope of theclaims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. An ice dispensing machine comprising a housing, a chute in saidhousing, dispensing means at the end of said chute, a door in saidhousing, ice block receiving means on said door, said door beingconnected to said dispensing means whereby the opening of said doorreleases said dispensing means to deliver a block of ice to said iceblock receiving means, said ice block receiving means thereby adapted toclose said door, and said door being adapted to return said icedispensing means to a position where it will receive another block ofice from said chuteupon the closing of said door.

2. An ice dispensing machine comprising a housing, a storage chute insaid housing, a hinged door in said housing, a pivoted member adapted toreceive a block of ice at the bottom of said storage chute, a linkconnecting said ice block receiving member with said door whereby saiddoor may be actuated to move said link and rotate said member to formwith the door an ice delivery chute from said housing.

3. An ice dispensing machine comprising a housing, a storage chute insaid housing, a hinged door in said housing, a pivoted member adapted toreceive a block of ice at the bottom of said storage chute, a linkconnecting said ice block receiving member with said door whereby saiddoor may be actuated to move said link and rotate said member to formwith the door an ice delivery chute from said housing, said memberprovided with means adapted to prevent another ice block from passingonto said last named chute when said member is in a position to form thesame.

4. An ice dispensing machine comprising a housing, a storage chute insaid housing, a hinged door in said housing, a pivoted member adapted todispense a block of ice from the bottom of said chute, a link connectingsaid ice block dispensing member with said door whereby said door may beactuated to move said link and rotate said member to form with the dooran ice delivery chute from said housing, ice block receiving meansattached to said door,

saidlast named means adapted to close said door and thereby return saiddispensing member to its-normal position under the weight of a block ofice thereon, and said link means adapted to 5 look said door and saiddispensing member in their normal positions.

5. An ice dispensing machine comprising a housing, a storage chute insaid housing, a hinged door in said housing; actuating means or saiddoor, a separately pivoted member adapted to receive a block of ice atthe bottom of said storage chute and a link connecting said ice blockreceiving member with said door, "both ends of said link being pivotedto permit one side of said members and said door to swing intosubstantially the same plane in their open position, and whereby saidice block receiving member will hold said door in its closed positionuntil said door is moved on its hinge toward its open position by saidactuating means.

6. An ice dispensing machine comprising a -housing, ice storage means insaid housing, a

hinged door in said housing, actuating means for said door, a separatelypivoted member adapted to receive a block of ice from said storagemeans, and means connecting said ice block receiving member with saiddoor, both ends of i said means being pivoted to permit one side of saidmember and said door to swing into substantially the same plane in theiropen position, and whereby said ice block receiving member will holdsaid door in its closed position until said door is moved on its hingetoward its open 1 position by said actuating means.

7. In a machine for dispensing ice in waterproof sacks open at one end,a housing, an ice storage chute in said housing adapted to retain sackedblocks of ice in a position where the sacks 1 will open downwardly fordrainage until such time as they are actually removed from the housing,and ice dispensing and delivery means adapted to invert the first one ofsaid ice blocks and deliver it outside of said housing in an up- 2 rightposition.

' RICHARD C. WOLFE.

